Subsidiaries of Dunkin’ Brands
- Baskin-Robbins
- Dunkin’
- Mister Donut
Key Findings
- Dunkin’ Brands has eliminated the use of polystyrene and expanded polystyrene, two separate plastics of environmental health concern (PEHC) in its coffee cups and lids. This will result in a billion fewer polystyrene cups and a 19 million pound reduction in polystyrene use annually.
- Despite substantial public attention to toxic indirect food additives, including PFAS, phthalates, and bisphenols, there is no indication that Dunkin’ Brands is taking substantial action to address these challenges.
Recommendations for Dunkin’ Brands
- Dunkin’ Brands can make progress by developing a public written safer chemicals policy covering any toxic indirect food additives that may be in food contact materials, addressing at least bisphenols, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), and phthalates.
- We urge the company to expand upon its success in addressing polystyrene by setting public quantifiable goals with clear timelines to eliminate and safely replace other plastics of environmental health concern in its packaging, as well as any toxic indirect food additives that may be in food contact materials. Dunkin’ Brands should also continue to publicly disclose the alternatives used to replace CHCs after eliminating them.
- The company should become a signatory to the Chemical Footprint Project and pilot it with key private label suppliers.
How does Dunkin' Brands compare to its competitors?
Analysis of Dunkin’ Brands
Oversight: Established management responsibilities and incentives
Disclosure: Requires suppliers to report use of chemicals in products to retailer
Action: Reduced or eliminated chemicals of high concern (CHCs) or plastics of environmental health concern (PEHCs) within the last three years
Safer Alternatives: Evaluates safer alternatives, avoids regrettable substitutes
Transparency: Demonstrates a commitment to transparency and public disclosure
Third-party Standards: Promotes credible third-party standards for safer products
Extra Credit:
Joint Announcement: Public commitment demonstrated through joint announcement
Continuous Improvement: Shows continuous improvement by steadily expanding safer chemicals policy
Collaboration: Actively participates in collaborative process to promote safer chemicals
Impact Investment: Investing financial resources into independent research into safer alternatives and/or green chemistry solutions